1. Field of the Invention
This invention, especially useful in the pork butchery industry, relates to a process for gauging and stuffing meat products under vacuum conditions. The apparatus, characterized by its simplicity, provides less rubbing or cutting stresses on the meat product than that of conventional processes, and in addition, simpler, less frequent, service maintenance.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Machines for gauging and stuffing meat products are disclosed in Spanish patent no. 468.640 and U.S Pat. No. 4,641,691. Both patents refer to an assembly which includes, as most machines used in the sector, a hopper where the meat product to be stuffed is loaded. Once loaded in the hopper, the meat then passes through a closure-controlled aperture, to a first duct, where a pusher cylinder-plunger assembly transfers a predetermined amount of said meat product into a gauging cavity. In the gauging cavity, a rotating blade is provided whose performance determines the amount of meat product transferred to a second duct. At the second duct, another pusher means leads the meat product directly into bags, containers or molds. U.S. Pat. No. 4,641,691 also discloses the use of vacuum generator means to avoid the formation of air pockets in the product to be stuffed.
Essentially, in the machines according to conventional techniques, the meat product is displaced along a relatively long and arduous circuit with one or several ducts and chambers. Due to bends and elbows in this circuit and the pushing and shearing action of the blades, the meat product is damaged.
In addition to damaging the meat product, the prior art machines demand expensive maintenance to ensure that the long circuit through which the meat is circulated is kept clean and free of meaty incrustations. It is often necessary for the machine to receive a complete cleaning after each stop and long pause of the machine or whenever a new type of meat product is to be stuffed by the same machine.